The Weekly Detour: Viper limos, pink Hondas and self-driving cars

Dodge Viper limo (source: Curtis Joe Walker)

By David Kates

Originally published: November 1, 2012

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Dodge Viper limo

The SEMA show is on in Las Vegas, showcasing all kinds of uniquely modded cars. You can check out driving.ca’s SEMA gallery here. One standout from the show is a custom-built Dodge Viper limousine. Basically, it’s a limo that offers its passengers none of the performance capabilities of a Viper, while failing to protect them from the elements. It does, however, retain the Viper’s uniquely aggressive styling and would certainly serve as an attention-grabber.

We think it looks great, albeit in a Top Gear kind of way.

Strange inventions

Nothing quite hits the spot like a gallery of old-timey photos featuring failed inventions. On that note, we point you to Smith Journal, which has found a post from blogger Maria Popova of 27 strange inventions from the early 20th century. All are fantastically oddball choices worth a look.

You’d think these companies would have learned from such mistakes, but you’d be wrong: Honda has just launched a “She’s” version of its Fit subcompact in Japan, complete with pink paint and interiors. For those less pink-inclined, it’s also available – we’re not kidding – in “eyeliner brown”. Additional features include a UV-resistant windshield to guard against wrinkles and a specially-designed air conditioning system that’s supposed to improve the driver’s skin quality.

Yes indeed, Honda saw that road. And they took it – in a pink Honda Fit.

Self-driving car vs. pro race-car driver

Robots are catching up with humans in the race for, well, auto racing supremacy.

The Atlantic reports that in a recent spin around the track at Thunderhill Raceway in California, a human driver bested his robot counterpart by only a few seconds. It’s cause for confidence among the robo-car’s inventors at the Centre for Automotive Research at Stanford (CARS), who are working to improve self-driving car technology with the goal of one day using it to help drivers behind the wheel.